Labor & Employment

Unemployment benefits; maximum duration. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2026, for claims effective on or after July 1, 2026, an eligible individual's weekly unemployment compensation benefit amount shall be paid for a maximum duration of 26 weeks.

Virginia Retirement System; enhanced retirement benefits for animal control officers. Adds full-time animal control officers to the list of local employees eligible to receive enhanced retirement benefits for hazardous duty service for service earned in such positions on or after July 1, 2027. Under current law, localities may provide such benefits to first responders, including firefighters and emergency medical technicians, and certain other hazardous duty positions. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027.

Salaries of certain full-time deputy sheriffs. Provides that, beginning on and after July 1, 2026, the salary of certain full-time deputy sheriffs shall be increased by an amount equal to $100 for each full year of service.

School boards; employment of school resource officers; Virginia Retirement System. Requires each school board to enter into a collaborative agreement with the local law-enforcement agency to employ at least one school resource officer in each public elementary and secondary school in the local school division. The bill requires localities to provide enhanced retirement benefits to school resource officers. The bill also allows a retired law-enforcement officer to work as a school resource officer after a break in service of at least six months without impacting his retirement benefits.

Protection of employees; warehouse distribution center requirements; civil penalty; civil action. Provides that a warehouse employer, as defined in the bill, that violates the bill's provisions shall be liable to an impacted warehouse employee, as defined in the bill, for certain remedies, damages, and other relief as specified in the bill. The bill requires a warehouse employer to provide each warehouse employee a written description of each performance standard to which such employee is subject and of any potential adverse employment action that may result from such employee's failure to meet such performance standard. The bill prohibits a warehouse employer from taking an adverse action against a warehouse employee for such employee's use of a bathroom facility. The bill provides that a warehouse employer that violates the bill's provisions relating to warehouse employees is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $5,000 for each violation.